Author: jbenton

I expect all my SoCal readers to head to the O.C. next month and moon passing Amtrak trains.
How to make your own root beer. Notice the importance of using Louisiana products. (While you’re shopping for Zatarain’s foodstuffs, their creole mustard is damned good, and their crab boil ain’t bad, either.)
Friend-of-Crabwalk Teresa exposes the Copper-River-salmon backlash.

Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford. “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

Back-door method to get me to like your band: Have at least one song about structural problems of the American health care system.
It worked for Ted Leo (“Heart Problems“): “You got a problem with your heart / Follow the line down your left arm / If there

The new Sufjan Stevens album won’t officially be out until July 5, but you can get it shipped to you today if you order it direct from the label.
And it’s $10! Best $10 you’ll spend today, I warrant. This’ll be on many Album of the Year lists come December.
(And, for only $7 more, you can add this so-ugly-it-approaches-a-sort-of-beauty poster.)
MP3s: Casimir Pulaski Day, gorgeous and sad; The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts, an ode to Superman that’s as close as Sufjan gets to rocking out; John Wayne Gacy, Jr. (“And in my best behavior / I am really just like him / Look beneath the floor boards / For the secrets I have hid”). Full album lyrics here (end of page).

Superman as a communist.

Just think: Jonathan Lipnicki used to be a cute little kid. Now he looks like a little punk you want to punch.

I’ve now had two Australians write to inform me that this site — this very web site, crabwalk.com — was somehow part of the Australian General Achievement Test this year.
I’m still awaiting details, but I imagine that something here was used as a reading passage in the test. Judging by last year’s test, they don’t mind taking cues from pop culture. (“Question 20. Homer makes Bart donate blood: (A) as a moral act, (B) to get a reward, (C) to discipline Bart, (D) to create a warm moment.”)
I cannot tell you how unspeakably cool this is.

When Lonely Planet readers go bad. “Cyclotouriste” has a whiff of Ignatius J. Reilly about him — if Ignatius were a better swearer.

One year ago today, my grandmother Mazie died. It’s been a strange year since.

Hello, Chicago! I will be coming to your fair city Thursday evening for an ever-so-brief stay. (Landing at Midway at 8:20 p.m., staying here and flying out the next afternoon after talking to these nice folks.)
Any crabwalk readers interested in a beer/dinner/whatever should drop me a line (jbenton at toast dot net). Circus clowns are particularly encouraged to apply.